Human World | EarthSky

Could consciousness come down to the way things vibrate?

By EarthSky Voices in Human World | 1 min ago

What’s the relationship between mind and matter? A new psychological theory suggests that synchronized vibrations lie at the heart of human consciousness, and – indeed – of all physical reality.

Largest U.S. indoor ocean exhibit has good news

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | Human World | 2 days ago

How natural can seawater be, in a large inland aquarium? Researchers at Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta were happy to learn that bacteria in their indoor exhibit mimicked those in the world’s oceans.

Fake image of Diwali still circulating

By Deborah Byrd in Earth | Human World | 1 week ago

This week is Diwali in India, celebrating the victory of Light over Darkness and marking the Hindu New Year. Every year at Diwali, we see this fake image circulating on social media. Sure enough, it is this year, too.

Dusk for Dawn mission to asteroids

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 1 week ago

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has gone silent. The mission to explore the 2 largest bodies in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres, is at an end.

Why do we love to scream?

By EarthSky Voices in Human World | 2 weeks ago

We love watching horror movies and getting scared in haunted houses. But why? This scientist has spent the past 10 years investigating just this question.

Tricks that animals play

By Deanna Conners in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

Trick or treat! Here are 3 animals that excel at playing tricks on others – and not just on Halloween!

Parker solar probe becomes closest-yet spacecraft to sun

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 2 weeks ago

On Monday, the Parker Solar Probe, launched August 12, broke the record for closest approach to the sun by a human-made object.

How 600,000 pounds of dead salmon nourished Alaskan trees

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

For 20 years, researchers counting dead salmon tossed them on the side of a shallow creek. The result, it turns out, was healthier, faster-growing trees. You’ll enjoy this video.

NOAA issues 2018-19 Winter Weather Outlook for US

By EarthSky in Earth | Human World | 2 weeks ago

About 3/4 of the United States is more likely to be warmer-than-average than colder-than-average this winter, according the NOAA report, and western drought is likely to persist or worsen.

What are hole-punch clouds?

By Jorge Salazar and Deborah Byrd in Earth | Human World | 3 weeks ago

Ever seen one of these? People sometimes report them as UFOs. They’re called hole-punch clouds, and jets make ’em. The connection between hole-punch clouds, jets and snowfall, here.

Watch launch of BepiColombo mission to Mercury

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 4 weeks ago

The BepiColombo mission to our sun’s innermost planet – fascinating little Mercury – launches from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana on October 20 at 01:45 UTC (tonight at 9:45 p.m. EDT). Here’s how to watch.

How do dogs process words?

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | Human World | 4 weeks ago

What’s happening in your dog’s brain when it hears you say squirrel? New research looks at how dog’s brains react to human words.

New technology may help solve mystery of life’s origins

By Paul Scott Anderson in Earth | Human World | Space | 1 month ago

How did life on Earth begin? A new technology, called Planet Simulator, might finally help solve the mystery.

Bees stopped buzzing during total solar eclipse

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | Human World | 1 month ago

In the path of totality of the August 2017 total solar eclipse, bees stopped flying, says a study. “It was like ‘lights out’ at summer camp.”

How to spot ISS in your sky

By Deanna Conners in Human World | Space | 1 month ago

Learn to watch ISS moving silently and steadily across your night sky, and think of the 3 astronauts currently on board.

Meet the trillions of viruses that make up your virome

By EarthSky Voices in Human World | 1 month ago

Just because you don’t have the flu doesn’t mean that your aren’t teeming with viruses inside and out. But what are all these viruses doing, if they aren’t making you sick?

Is Voyager 2 nearing interstellar space?

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 1 month ago

Voyager 2, launched in 1977, is now about 11 billion miles (17.7 billion km) from Earth. NASA says the spacecraft has detected an increase in cosmic rays, which might mean it’s close to becoming only the 2nd human-made object, after Voyager 1, to enter interstellar space.